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(N0 Modl.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

AQ VUILLIER. Manufacture of Milk Cans.

Nb. 240,191. Patented April 26,1881.

' EssEs' fizi @406 m '2 Sheets-Sheet '2.

(No Model.)

A. VUILLIER. Manufacture of Milk Cans.

Patented April 26,1881.

I UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE...

AIME VUILLIER, OF roETLANi), CONNECTICUT, AssIeNo TO THE UNITED sTATEs STAMPING COMPANY, OF sAME PLACE.

MANUFACTURE OF MlLK-CANS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 240,791, dated April 26, 1881.

Application filed October 21, 1880. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, AIME VUILLIE a, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, Middlesex county, in the State of (Jonnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Milk- Cans, of which the following is a specification.

The peculiarities relate to the method adopted for the manufacture and to the article pro- [0 duced. I can employ sheet iron or steel tinned as the material for the main portions.

The bottom is of malleable iron, adapted to receive and brace-the lower edge of the sheetmetal parts. The body and breast are in continuous lengths, joined by vertical seams, soldered or soldered and riveted. I produce the parts by drawing in properly-formed dies. Two parts, lying end to end, are drawn at once from one sufiiciently-long sheet. This may he done at one or more operations, as the character of the metal or other circumstances may require. Two sides are thus formed, lying base to base. On correctly cutting apart and trimming the sides and upper ends the two 2 5 parts are ready to be applied together and secured to constitute a complete body withthe proper breast and the base of the neck. The top is a malleable casting, properly formed to apply and be strongly secured upon the sheet 0 metal and receive the cover. The parts of which the body and breast are composed may be fully perfected in form and nested together. The bottoms and necks being packed separately, the parts for a large number of nearly- 3 5 completed milk-cans may be packed in a small compass, shipped at moderate freights to dis taut points, and put together with little labor or skill by means of the facilities afforded in every ordinary ti n-shop.

The following is a description of what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification.

.5 Figure 1 is a face view of the blank to form two parts or sides, properly shaped to allow for the contraction which will take place when the dies perform their work. Fig. 2 is a corresponding view, showing the blank after it has been fully shaped by one or more opera- 5 tions in the dies. Fig. 3 is an edge view of the same. Fig. 4 is a cross-section through the mid-height of the can, showing how the halves are placed together ready to be riveted and soldered. Fig. 5 is a perspective view, 5; showing one of the halves after the fullyshaped blank has been divided and trimmed. Fig. 6 represents a complete can, partly in perspective, the lower portion being in central vertical section. 6(

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

There are'male and female dies operated properly together by means of a suitable press. (Not represented.) It will be understood that 6 there is a holding-ring exterior to the male die, which presses upon the edges of the sheet metal and properly restrains but does not entirely prevent the drawing inward as the dies perform their work. The sheet metal is marked 7c m. The plates are sufficiently long to allow a surplus at the ends for the holding-ring to get a good gripe. The width is sufficient to afford the proper amount of metal in that direction, with the required surplus at each edge 7 5 for the holding-ring.

' I believe it practicable to work with any ordinary kinds or qualities of sheet metal. I esteem it preferable, for some reasons, to use low steel rolled to the proper thickness and tinned.

The sheet metal is first cut, by dies or otherwise, in an approximation to the correct outline. This is indicated in Fig. 1. The sheets, in being treated by the dies, are held by the edges while the middle portion is drawn into the swelled form required. This produces a long dish-formed vessel, which, on being divided by suitable shears across the middle, gives two pieces,which form respectively two 0 sides of a milk-can, with properly-arranged parts to overlap one upon another, as required, to make a good joint.

To fully carryout all thefeatures of theinvention there must be two sets of dies. The two 5 pieces made in a single die are not applied to- I gether, butarelaid aside to serve as corresponding sides of a lot of milk-cans, while another from below.

pair of dies is employed to make another lot of sides, which shall serve as the opposites or mates thereto. Thus operating, I produce the proper edges, m m required, the former to go on the inside and thelatter on the outside when the parts are applied together. The rivets D are inserted through the overlapping parts m on when they are properly applied together. Then, the joint being soldered smoothly and continuously on the inside, and also, if desired, on the outside, the body is complete.

E is a bottom ring of malleable cast-iron tinned. It applies within the bottom and is secured by rivets G. Its lower edge, E, projects outward, and is formed with a narrow groove, f, in which the lower edge of the sheet metal on is received. Its upper edge, E extends inward sufficiently to form a reliable shelf to receive the edge of an ordinary swelled bottom, H, of stout sheet metal tinned.

To apply the bottom after the body is formed by the riveting and soldering of the joints connecting the two parts, the properly cut and swelled piece H is first inserted in the body Then the ring E E E is forced up to its place, taking care that the lower edge of the sheet metal on is received properly in the narrow groove f all around. Then, the rivets Gr being set to hold the ring firmly, the bottom is brought into its properposi tion, with its edge resting on the lip E and is soldered on the inside byoperatingthrough the mouth of the can. The bottom H may be held down in contact with the lip E during the soldering by a sufficient weight applied on the inside, or by a sufiicient suction induced by suitable apparatus on the outside of the bottom piece.

The'lip E may be prepared by smoking or otherwise to prevent its being soldered.

When, through corrosion or other cause, the bottom H requires to be renewed, the rivets G are cutoff and the ringE driven down. Then heat properly applied all around, either simultaneously or successively, will start the solder and liberate the bottom H, allowing its removal. A new one may then be inserted in the same manner as at first.

I believe that by giving a proper shape to the dies the halves of the body and breast may be formed with a considerable length of neck attached. In practice, however, I prefer to make only sufficient neck to serve as a fastening-flange. The neck and mouth proper, K, is of malleable cast-iron tinned, and joined by soldering or by soldering and riveting, as indicated by K.

The metal, after being strained in the process of being drawn into the proper shape, should be retinned to make a perfect tinned surface. In any case, if desired, I propose to postpone that operation until the parts have been properly put together. The dipping of the entire body and breast after the rivets D are set not only retins the surfaces, but tightly fills all thejoints and makes a continuous inner surface, where no milk can remain and ,sour if ordinary care is taken in the emptying and scalding out.

Modifications may be made in many of the details. I can make the body and breast in three or more pieces, instead of two, by giving aproper form to the dies; but good metal will endure being drawn to "the extent required to make the whole in two pieces, and I prefer generally to do so.

I claim as my invention--- 1. The within-described method of manufacturing milk-cans, consisting in simultaneously producing two sides and breasts in a continuouslength, and then cutting apart and joining, as specified.

2. The milk-can described, having the body min two or more drawn sections, the lower edge received and held in a narrow groove, f, in a bottom ring, E E E and bottom H, as herein specified.

In testimony wh ereof I have hereunto set my hand at Portland, Connecticut, this 22d day of September, 1880, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. I

AIME VUILLIER.

Witnesses THEo. P. AUSTIN, DANIEL MYERS. 

